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Djokovic hopes tennis' doping program quiets speculation

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Like the rest of the Big Four, Novak Djokovic has been outspoken about the need for more stringent measures to ward off potential drug cheats. Djokovic called last week's announcement

As a player that been involved in some of the longest matches in Grand Slam history, including his record 5-hour, 53-minute knockdown of Spain's Nadal in the 2012 Australian Open final, Djokovic recognizes he is not above suspicion in a sporting world increasingly scarred by doping scandals.

"I don't want to say I understand the doubts," Djokovic said. "I just want to say I understand that different people have different opinions, and I respect those opinions of the people. I can't stop the speculations."

"I have said in the past and said it again: If it's going to be more testing, blood testing, urine testing, I have nothing against it," he continued. "I'm right here. People know where I am, what I play, what I do, and I think the tennis is still keeping its integrity and face clean compared to some other sports. I'm really proud of it."

Players agree that in the wake of doping scandals in cycling and other sports doubts will persist.

"I think tennis has done a good job of trying everything to be as clean as possible but maybe we're entering a new era," said Roger Federer, the defending BNP Paribas Open champion. "Everything is becoming more professional, more serious, more money involved and so forth. So I just think we need to make sure from our side we do everything we can."

The announcement of the biological passport program coincided with the release of new testing statistics by the International Tennis Federation, which runs the sport's anti-doping program.

Less than 3%, or 67, of the 2,185 tests administered were out-of-competition blood tests, an area players and outside experts have said is too few.

Some also have called for more transparency in the data released by the ITF, which does not publish exact testing numbers for individual players or what kind of tests (urine and blood) they underwent.

"I don't see why they wouldn't release it," said veteran James Blake of the USA.